Burn-off machine



July 7,' 1953 T. w. BAH- EY 2,644,274

BURN-OFF MACHINE Filed may 7, 1949 s sheets-sheet 2 8 Il@ ||8 frz@UHD/IVG ZONE.

- @TA Tlc/VARY VACUUM (007301.

F/RE CONT/e011 can. @mamey July 7, 1953 l T.W.BA|| EY 2,644,274

BURN-OFF' MACHINE Filed May 7, 1949 s sheets-sheet 5 Z |29 E .'6 @Y Wam@A Qttornzp Patented `uly 7, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIce" BURN-OFFMAoHiNE;

Thomas W. Bailey, Hammondsport, N. Y., as

s'ignor to Corning Glass Works, Corning, N. Y.. a corporation of NewYork Application MayV 7, 1949, Serial No. (Cl. 4,9750) 11 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in devices for severingglass by burning it off, and more particularly to devices in which theglass and burner travel in a circular path while the burning oi is beingaccomplished.

The prime object of the invention is an improved form of apparatus forcontrolling the connection and disconnectionof a source ofvacuum-to-vacuum Achucks employed in holding the ware during theburn-off operation and for controlling the connection vand disconnectionof fue to the burn-off burners. l

The invention is embodied in a machine wherein a cam opens a valve toapply vacuum from va suitable supply line to an article chuck as itpasses through a loading zone and wherein the holding of such valve inits open position as .the chuck leaves the loading zone is contingent onthe presence of an article in the chuck so that if the chuck isunoccupied upon leaving the `Aloading zone, the vacuum valve is closedand thus unnecessary opening of the vacuum supply line to atmosphere isprevented. As the chuck leaves the loading zone and enters the burn-offzone, cam means is provided forV opening a valve inthe fuel line to theburner associated with such chuck. Facilities are provided, however, toprevent such valve being opened if the chuck upon leaving the loadingzone is unoccupied so that the connection of fuel to a burner associatedwith an unoccupied chuck is prevented.

' The accompanying drawings show a preferredl l embodiment of theinvention. In the drawings, Fig. l is a sectional side elevation of themachinei Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional plan view of a fragment of themachine as indicated by line 2 2 in Fig. '1; Fig. 3 isa sectionalelevation taken on line 3 3 in Fig. 2., and in addition, showing asectional elevation of an associated burner not shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 3ais an enlarged sectional View of a fragment of an upper section of theapparatus shown in Fig. 3;V Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken online 4--4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating thecam arrangement employed; Fig. 6 is an enlarged View in section of avacuum valve assembly shown rin its Voperated position and is similar tothe view of Vsuch assembly appearing in the right-hand portion of Fig. 1in its normal position; Fig. '7 is a sectional plan view taken on linel-l of Fig. 6; andv Fig. 8 is an endY elevation taken on line 8'8 ofFig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the machine embodies a base inwhich is mounted a central supporting column I2, adapted to be 2 rotatedby agear |3 in mesh with a driving pinion I4 carried by a shaft I5rotatable by a motor '(not shown). The upper portion of column l2 hassecured thereto a'turre't 2| having arranged about its periphery anumber of brackets such as a bracket 22, each supportingan article'chucksuch as'article chuck 23. `Al`so arranged on column l2 isl a vacuumchamber 3| having attached thereto a manifold 32 containing an annularoxygen chamber 33 and an annular gas chamber 34. `The chamber 3| on itsunderside near its periphery' is provided with a vacuum control valveassembly' such as the assembly 5|, (Figs. 1 and 6) for eachfchuckassembly. .The chamber 3| Valso is provided about its periphery withbrackets such as 4|, (Figs. l and v3) each provided with a burnersupporting'bracket 42 and a burner 43. Each bracket' 4| alsoY supportsburnercontrol valves and their operatingV mechanisms, as will bedescribed hereinafter.

Vacuum control valve Referring particularly to Fig. 6, each of thetherewith by way of suitabler passages 54. Thel chamber 53 alsovoommunicates with a valve chamber 55. by'way of va passage V56 normallyY.

closed by `a disc member 51 carried by` a valve stem 59 and heldagainstV an associated seat 58`by aspring. f

With the valve disc 5l on its seat .58, chamber 55 is in 'communicationwith atmosphere lby way of a passage between a valve member 12 and itsseat 14' through an exhaust passage 1|. The chamber 55 is also incommunication by way of a conduit 7-3 with a vacuum chuck such as chuck23, and by way of a conduitv |29 with a negative pressure chamber(notshown) similar' to chamber |21 (Figs. i and 3) The valve 5| has anadditionalchamber l5 in communication with the chuck'23 by means of aconduit 1,6 extending from the chamber wall 15.

The valve actuating stem 59 is at one end provided with'a'cr'oss arm''i(Figs. 6 and') carrying a roller i9v adapted to' engage a cam Stoin'Fig. l 'toits operated position shown inFig. 6

as the chuck 23", associated with Vvalve 5|, enters the loading zone.'lilithy valve 5| in its operated position theval've member 12 is on itsseat'14 so Vthat the chamber 55 is'closed to atmosphere and vacuumchamber 3| is' incommunication with chuck 23 lvia conduitl',chamber'55', passage 56,

,adjustable cap screws into the burn-ofi zone, the valve 5| will remainoperated even though roller 'i3 moves off the lobe of cam 33. If, on theother hand, the chuck is not loaded while passing through the loadingzone, the negative pressure in chamber 'I5 will be insufiicient to holdthe stem 59 in its operated position and accordingly, as the chuck 23leaves the loading zone, the stem will be restored to its nor-vmalposition by spring B to reclose the passage 6 and thus preventunnecessary admission or" air into the vacuum chamber 3|.

Burner control valve For each burner such as burner 43 (Fig. 3) there isan oxygen line 9| (Figs. 1 and 2) extending from oxygen chamber 33 to amanually operable valve 94 which feeds oxygen through a spring-closedvalve 35 to a mixing chamber |00 (Fig. 8). A similar line S8 extendsfrom gas .chamber to a manually operable valve 90 for feeding gasthrough a spring-closed valve 06 to the mixing chamber |00. A passage|05 extends from mixing chamber |00 through a flexible tube |06 to theburner 43.

Valves 95 and St are adapted to be opened by |09 and H0, `threadedthrough a lever III which at the one end is pivf oted on a pin I I2, andat the other end is coupled i to a slide rod I3. The rod I I3, havingreference to Figs. 2 and 3a, is adapted. to be moved to the right, toopen the valves 05 and 96, by an arm I I5 .integral with a `sleeve I I8splined to an extension its associated chuck 23 (Fig. l) leaves theloading zone, to rock the shaft in a counterclockwise direction to openvalves and 90. l

The normal position of arm H5, however, as indicated in Fig. 3a, is at alevel'below that of slide rod H3, so that unless arm H5 is in its raisedposition at the time that roller |20 engages cam I2I, opening of valves35 and 96 will not occur. The sleeve IIS, with which arm ||5 isintegral, is supported on a stem |25 attached to a diaphragm |20 forminga wall of negative presf sure chamber |21. A spring |28 assists gravityin normally holding sleeve ||8 in its lower position. Chamber |2'| isconnected by means of aV conduit |29 with a chamber of valve 5|corresponding to chamber of valve 5I. Y It accordingly follows thatsufficient negative ranged at the junction of the loading and burnolfzones lights the burner.

As a chuck, chuck 23' for example, leaves the: burn-ofi zone, roller |20passes off the lobe of cam I2| enabling spring |I9a to rock shaft ||1 toits initial position, thuspermitting valves 05 and 96 to reclose and cutoff the fuel supply to' burner 43.

As a chuck, chuck 23 for example, enters the .unloading zone, roller 'I9of the associated valve 5| engages a cam |40 which, in spite of thenegative pressure in chamber l5, restores the stem of VVvalve 5| to itsnormal position to cut off the vacuum to chuck 23 and to at the sametime vent the chuck to atmosphere so as to release an article, such asarticle |50, for example, from the chuck. The restoration of valve 5| tonormal in venting chuck 23 to atmosphere also vents chamber 'I5 and thecorresponding chamber |2I; With chamber l5 vented, valve 5I will notoperate again until its roller 'I9 again encounters cam 80. The ventingof the chamber corresponding to chamber |27 enables the associatedelements, notV shown but corresponding to sleeve I i8 and its arm I5, tobe restored to their initial position by a spring such as spring |28.

Auxiliary features Inorder to positively assure closure ofvalve disc5|.on its seat 53 by cam U30, and the seating of the other similar valvediscs on their seats without necessitating extreme precision inmanufacture, such cam is carried by a spring-loaded bell crank |5I (Fig.l) which enables movement of the cam following engagement of a discmember such as 51 with its seat. In a similar fashion positive closureof each -valve member such as member E2 on, its seat by cam 80 isassured by placing the pivot I 52 of cross arm Il (Fig. '7) in a slot|53 vand normally resiliently holding pivot |52 at the right end 4of theslot by a spring |54. With this arrangement any movement imparted to across arm 7l by cam 80 after member 'I2 is seated simply causes thepivot |52 of arm T1 to shift leftward (see Fig. .7) against the tensionof spring I5li. Y

What is claimed is: n

l. In a burn-off machine, a vacuum article chuck, means providing a pathof travel for said chuck through loading and burn-off zones,respectively, a vacuum line to said chuck, a normally closed valve insaid vacuum line, meansk for opening said valve when said chuck entersthe loading zone and for holding said valve open only while the chuck ispassing through such zone, means activated by the creation of negativepressure' in the branch of said line between said valve and said chuckwhen an article is engaged by said chuck to continue to hold said valveopen through the burn-off Zone, a burner associated with said chuck, afuel line to said burner, a normally closed valve in said latter fuelline, an element for opening said latter valve, said element beingvnormally inoperatively associated with respect to said latter val-ve,other means operative only upon the creation of such negative pressureto bring'said latter valve and element into operative association, andmeans for moving said element ywith respect to said latter valve to openthe saine zone.

2. In a burn-:off machine, an article chuck, means providing a path oftravel for said chuck through loading and burn-01T Zones, respectively,a burner associated with said chuck, a fuel line as the chuckentersthe'burn-off acilgsvii to said burner, a normally closed valve in saidfuel line, an element for opening said valve, said element beingnormally inoperatively associated with respect to said valve, meansoperative pneumatically only When `an article is engaged by the chuck tobring said valve and element into operative association, and means formoving said element with respect to said valve to openthe same as thechuck enters the burn-oif zone.

3. In an article-handling system, a vacuum article chuck, meansproviding a path: of travel for said chuck through at least two Zones, avacuum linev to said chuck, a normally closed valve insaid vacuum line,means for opening said Vvalve when said chuck enters the first of saidzones and for holding said valve open only While the chuck is passingthrough such zone, and pneumatic means for continuing to hold saiddependently of said valve-opening means, when an article is engaged bysaid chuck, said pneumatic means including a diaphragm associated withsaid valve and adapted to be moved from a normal -to an operatedposition when said valve is opened, said diaphragm constituting one Wallof a negative pressure chamber, and a branch vacuum line extendingbetween said chamber and said rst vacuum line between the article chuckand the valve.

4. In an article-treating machine, a rotary turret, a Vacuum chuckcarried by said turret, a vacuum line to said chuck, a line forsupplying fluid in the treatment of an article engaged by said chu-ckand including a valve, a normally disabled mechanical means foractuating said valve, and means connected to said vacuum line operatedby the creation of a negative pressure when an article is engaged bysaid chuck to enable said mechanical means to effectively function.

5. In a glass burn-off machine Vof the type wherein a revolving turretequipped with a row of vacuum-type article chucks is provided to con-Vey said chucks through loading and burn-off zones, a vacuum sup-plyline including a valve for each chuck, each valve having an operatingstem one end of which carries a roller, a cam engageable by said rolleronly during the travel of a chuck through a loading zone .to open saidvalve, the other end of said valve stem having a diaphragm attachedthereto constituting one Wall of a negative pressure chamber; and aconduit connecting said chamber with said chuck whereby, when a negativepressure is created in. said line by the engagement of an article by thechuck, closure of the valve after the `chuck leaves the loading zone andenters the burn-off zone is prevented.

6. In a burn-ofi machine, vacuum chuck,

valve open through the second of said zones,A inoperatedduring-passageof said chuck through the burn-01T zone, and means for restoring saidvalve while saidl chuck is passing through 'the unloading Zone.

7. In an article-treating machine, a vacuumtype article chuck, means,for moving said chuck through loading, article-treating and unloadingzones respectively, a vacuum-linea valve in communication with saidchuck and providing a normally closed passage between said lineand chuckand providing a normally open passage between atmosphere and said chuck,a spring holding said valve in its normal position, means for actuatingsaid valve to open said rst passage and to close the second when saidchuck enters theloading zone, means activated by the creation-ofnegative pressure in said chuck after an article is engaged thereby tohold said valve'actuatedfindependently of said `valveactuatin`g meansafter said chuck leaves y the loading zone and enters thearticle-treating Zone', and means for' forcing said valve closed againstthe action of said valveholding means when said chuck enters theunvloading zone to release the article from the chuck.

8. A machine such as defined by claim '7 including a device associatedwith the chuck adapted to direct a treating medium against an articleengaged thereby While the chuck is passing through the article-treatingzone, a supply line to said device, a normally closed valve in saidsupply line, an operating element normally disassociated therefrom,means activated by the creation of the negative pressure in the chuckafter the article is engaged thereby for operatively associating saidoperating element. with said latter valve, andmeans f or actuating saidelement to open said latter valve when the chuck enters thearticle-treating zone.

9. In a burn-01T machine, a vacuum article chuck, a rotary turret forconveying said chuck through article-loading, article burn-off andarticle-unloading zones in succession, a vacuum line to said chuck, avalve in said va-cuum line having an operating stem, a springcooperative with said stem normally holding said valve closed.Y

a roller on one end of said stem, a cam engageable by said roller onlyduring the travel of said chuck through the loading zone to open saidvalve, a negative-pressure chamber having a means providing a path oftravel for said chuck through loading, burn-off and unloading zonesrespectively, a vacuum line, a valve, said valve having a rst chamberand a second chamber in communication with each other, said nrstcham-ber being in communication with said chuck and normally open toatmosphere and said second chamber being in communication with saidvacuum line, said valve also having an element. normally closing thecommunication between its chambers and another element for closing saidrst chamber to atmosphere when the valve is operated, means foroperating said valve vonly while said chuck is passing through theloading zone, means activated by the creation of negative pressureinsaid chuck when an article is engaged thereby to independently hold saidvalve diaphragm constituting a Wall thereof and being attached to the`other end of said stem, a conduit connecting -said chamber with saidchuck whereby a negative pressure is created in said chamber whenever anarticle is engaged by said chuck to prevent closure of said valve whilethe chuck is passing through t-he burn-oi zone, and a cam engagable bysaid roller while the chuck passes through the unloading zone to aidsaid spring in moving said stem to its initial position against theaction of negative pressure insaid negative-pressure chamber.

l0. In a burn-off machine such as defined by claim 9, a burn-off burneradapted to surround an article engaged by the chuck, a fuelsupply lineto said burner including a spring-closed valve, an element for openingsaid valve, said lelement being normally inoperatively associated withrespect to said valve, a negative pressure chamber having a diaphragmwall linked to said element and adapted to move the same into operativeassociation with said valve whenever negative pressure is Vestablishedin said chamber, a conduit establishing 4communication between saidchamber and the chuck whereby, when an article is engaged thereby,negative pressure is created iny Vsaid latter chamber, and means formoving said elemeit with r'sec't 't sad latter valve to open it as theAchuck enters the'birnzone.

11. fIn a burn-01T machine, vacum-type chuck,.a turret /fr ccrN'ey/i'gsaid chuck through loading and burn-'off z'r'ies 'a bui-c bhr, a fuelline to said b-urler i-'cliidirir a sbin'g'cldsed valve, an element feropehihg saidy Y'Valve, said element being hally iiiperativl 'asscciatedwith respect to said vaive, a h'gativee pressure chamber havi'iig a'diaphragm Wall linked t0 lsaid leiet and daptet the same iltcpra'ti'v'e ss'ci't'i'ii with said valve Wheever heg'at'i bressre is'kcreated i said chamber, a cchduit establshiig ccri'- vniuni'catic'nrlbetween saidzh'a'mber and. the chufck whereby when an article is h'l'dgag'd by said. chuck, hegat/'e pressure created said chamber., a pivoteda'rn cbld' to 'said l'ereit, a roller dn said. al', and a cfai"e'ngtgable Ey 8p; said roller to mpvev` saidlement in a direction to Oate said Valve While Sad chuck i`s DaSSig th'gh s'aidAbur'nL-'off zo'ne. y y Y y l THOMAS W. BAILEY. References cited-lm he me of unspatent UNTED smfri's` P'AfENfis Number Name l, Date 1,432,032` Novick11-17.14-111. oct'. '17, 1922 11,600,022 VanrHeek -111:. Sept. 14,V 1926v1,'15'7,2-1l1. 'Parker 'Masr 6, 1 '930 1,871,707 Klupmeyer et al. -1Aug. 16, 1932 1,956,647 McCoy May 1, 1934 1,987,336 Powell f Jan. 8.1935 2,091,283 Johnson Aug. 31, 19-31YV *211,247,787V Schmidt V July 1,1941 2,359,433 McNamara Oct. 3, 1944 2,416,121 Schreiber, et a1. Y Feb.18,1947

